Day #13

Xavier is 13 days old today. What an experience this has been. First of all, I had a super easy delivery (compared to Elizabeth). He is nursing a lot better than Elizabeth as well, however, we still have the weight issue. I have to feed him every 2-1/2 hours (from start of one to the start of the next) and if he's asleep, I have to wake him up. That was not so easy to do last night. I had my alarm set for 3:00 a.m. but I couldn't wake up. It's easier to wake up when he's ready to wake up, not so easy when I have to be the one, so he missed his 3:00 feeding and I didn't wake up again until a little bit before 6:00. Then the doctor has us giving him 1 oz. of formula after each feeding to make sure he is getting enough. He didn't want it this morning. On Monday, we go back to the doctor and I really really hope he has put on the weight he is expected to. Babies are supposed to put on 1/2 oz. a day and over an 8 day period he only put on only 2 oz. He should be at his birth weight which is 8 lb 13 oz. and he's only 8 lb 3 oz. So, during this same doctor's visit, the doctor runs her hands over his shoulder and feels a knot - turns out he has a fracture (can't remember the name of the bone). She thinks it could have happened during birth since its a very common fracture. So, I had to take him for his first set of X-rays yesterday. That was an interesting experience - it was very quick but the poor guy was hungry (I wasn't prepared for a long trip) and he cried the entire time. They basically laid him on a table and a tech held him down and they took 2 snap shots - I wish I could have copies for his scrapbook! :) It has started to heal and there's nothing for us to do except not lay him on that side. Of course, every time I pick him up or get him dressed or even feed him, I worry if I'm doing something that could be hurting him.

Elizabeth just loves "her baby" and loves to try and help (even when I'm nursing!). The first time she came to the hospital to visit, I said I needed to feed Xavier and she goes and grabs some applesauce! It was so cute. We've only had one case of "that's mine". He was covered with her Winnie the Pooh/Tigger blanket and she really wanted it. She had to make a trade for another blanket in order to get it. She loves playing with his bouncer and swing - she puts her teddy bears and baby dolls in there and always fastens them in. She tries sitting in them as well, but I think has finally gotten over that. Not sure how it will go next week while I'm by myself. She tends to ask me to do things while I'm feeding Xavier so I feel bad to tell her not right now or go ask daddy. The other thing is that Brian has been getting up with her in the mornings so I can sleep in until Xavier's next feeding, but I won't be able to do that next week. She is usually up between 7-7:30 and I've been sleeping until 8:00-9:00. If anyone knows me, then they know I have to get my 10 hours of sleep in! :)

Xavier has been lifting his head. I lay him on his stomach and he just moves that head around and actually wiggles his way forward. I just love watching him, he amazes me. It's funny how I have forgotten things - like how many poopy diapers a new born has. I actually called the doctor's office b/c I thought he was having too many! I had to be reminded that a breast fed baby has a lot more poopy diapers than a formula fed baby.

Well, I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July! We'll be sticking close to the house (which is fine with us b/c our neighborhood has some pretty good fireworks). Hopefully, it won't rain and we can shoot some fireworks off, but we may not be that lucky. It's raining right now. :(